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Optics Letters

Coherent control on the generation and annihilation of a pseudospin-induced optical vortex in a honeycomb photonic lattice

Yongping Huang, Qingsong Yu, Zhenzhi Liu, Yuan Feng, Jiawei Yu, Hua Zhong, Yanpeng Zhang, Zhaoyang Zhang

Published Jun 10, 2024• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We experimentally investigate the coherently controllable generation and annihilation of a pseudospin-induced optical vortex in an optically induced honeycomb photonic lattice in a Λ-type 85Rb atomic vapor cell. Three Gaussian coupling beams are coupled into the atomic gases to form a hexagonal interference pattern, which can induce a honeycomb photonic lattice under electromagnetically induced transparency. Then, two probe beams interfere with each other to form periodical fringes and cover one set of sublattice in the honeycomb lattice, corresponding to excite the K or K′ valleys in momentum space. By properly adjusting the experimental parameters, the generation and annihilation of the induced optical vortex can be effectively controlled. The theoretical simulations based on the Dirac and Schrödinger equations are performed to explore the underlying mechanisms, which will support the observations. The demonstrated properties of such controllable optical vortex may lay the foundation for the design of vortex-based optical devices with multidimensional tunability.

DOI
10.1364/ol.527186

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We experimentally investigate the coherently controllable generation and annihilation of a pseudospin-induced optical vortex in an optically induced honeycomb photonic lattice in a Λ-type 85Rb atomic vapor cell. Three Gaussian coupling beams are coupled into the atomic gases to form a hexagonal interference pattern, which can induce a honeycomb photonic lattice under electromagnetically induced transparency. Then, two probe beams interfere with each other to form periodical fringes and cover one set of sublattice in the honeycomb lattice, corresponding to excite the K or K′ valleys in momentum space. By properly adjusting the experimental parameters, the generation and annihilation of the induced optical vortex can be effectively controlled. The theoretical simulations based on the Dirac and Schrödinger equations are performed to explore the underlying mechanisms, which will support the observations. The demonstrated properties of such controllable optical vortex may lay the foundation for the design of vortex-based optical devices with multidimensional tunability.
We experimentally demonstrated the formation of a one-dimensional electromagnetically induced optical lattice in coherently prepared three-level 85Rb Rydberg atomic vapors with electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). The one-dimensional photonic lattice was optically induced by a coupling field with a spatially periodical intensity distribution deriving from the interference of two strong Gaussian beams from the same laser source (~480 nm). Under the Rydberg-EIT condition, the incident weak probe beam can feel a tunable spatially modulated susceptibility, which is verified by the controllable discrete diffraction pattern observed at the output plane of the vapor cell. This investigation not only opens the door for experimentally introducing the strong interaction between Rydberg atoms to govern the beam dynamics in photonic lattices based on atomic coherence but also provides an easily accessible periodic environment for exploring Rydberg-atom physics and related applications.
We have experimentally demonstrated the realization of an instantaneously reconfigurable Lieb photonic lattice with a flatband in a three-level Λ-type rubidium atomic configuration. Such a coherently controllable Lieb photonic lattice is optically induced by a coupling field possessing a spatially periodic intensity distribution (generated via a spatial light modulator) under the condition of electromagnetically induced transparency. The incident weak Gaussian probe field can experience discrete diffraction and the observed probe beam at the output surface of the medium exhibits the same Lieb pattern, verifying the formation of the refractive index with a Lieb profile inside the atomic vapor cell. The potential wells and the band structure of the Lieb photonic lattice can be effectively manipulated by easily tuning the frequency of the involved laser beams. The current work can promisingly pave the way for exploring the exotic dynamics as well as tunable photonic devices in Lieb photonic lattices.
Optical vortex arrays (OVAs) containing multiple vortices have been in demand for multi-channel optical communications and multiple-particle trapping. In this Letter, an OVA with tunable intensity and spatial distribution was implemented all-optically in a two-dimensional (2D) electromagnetically induced atomic lattice (EIL). Such a square lattice is constructed by two orthogonal standing-wave fields in 85 R b vapor, resulting in the periodically modulated susceptibility of the probe beam based on electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). An OVA with dark-hollow intensity distribution based on 2D EIL was observed in the experiment first. This work thus studied the nonlinear 2D EIL process both theoretically and experimentally, presenting, to the best of our knowledge, a novel method of dynamically obtaining and controlling an OVA and further promoting the construction of all-optical networks with atomic ensembles.
The photonic graphene in atoms not only has the typical photonic band structures but also exhibits controllable optical properties that are difficult to achieve in the natural graphene. Here, the evolution process of discrete diffraction patterns of a photonic graphene, which is constructed through a three-beam interference, is demonstrated experimentally in a 5 S 1/2 − 5 P 3/2 − 5 D 5/2 85 Rb atomic vapor. The input probe beam experiences a periodic refractive index modulation when traveling through the atomic vapor, and the evolution of output patterns with honeycomb, hybrid-hexagonal, and hexagonal geometric profiles is obtained by controlling the experimental parameters of two-photon detuning and the power of the coupling field. Moreover, the Talbot images of such three kinds of periodic structure patterns at different propagating planes are observed experimentally. This work provides an ideal platform to investigate manipulation the propagation of light in artificial photonic lattices with tunable periodically varying refractive index.
The optical Bloch oscillation (OBO) is an optical-quantum analogy effect that is significant for light field manipulations, such as light beam localization, oscillation and tunneling. As an intra-band oscillation, OBO was important for optical investigations in photonic lattices and atomic vapors over an extended period of time. However, OBO in reconfigurable platforms is still an open topic, even though tunability is highly desired in developing modern photonic techniques. Here we theoretically establish and experimentally demonstrate OBO in an electromagnetically induced photonic lattice with a ramping refractive index, established in a coherently-prepared three-level 85Rb atomic vapor under the electromagnetically induced transparency condition. This is achieved by interfering two coupling beams with Gaussian profiles and launching a probe beam that exhibits OBO within the resulting lattice. The induced reconfigurable photonic lattice possesses a transverse gradient, due to the innate edges of Gaussian beams, and sets a new stage for guiding the flow of light in periodic photonic environments. Our results should motivate better understanding of peculiar physical properties of an intriguing quantum-optical analogy in an atomic setting.
The diffraction pattern of a two-dimensional optically induced atomic lattice is reported experimentally in a three-level atomic system. Such a two-dimensional optical lattice is established by two orthogonal standing-wave fields induced by the interference of two pairs of coupling laser beams. When the probe beam is launched into it, a spatially modulated discrete diffraction pattern can be obtained at the output plane of the vapor cell under the electromagnetically induced transparency condition. We investigate the diffraction pattern under different experimental parameters and find that it can be effectively controlled by tuning the coupling laser power and two-photon detuning. Our work may potentially pave the way for studying the control of light and other intriguing physical phenomena based on such a periodically modulated atomic lattice.